(a) Field
Embodiments of the present invention relate to a method and device for providing reference information for starting scanning of a different radio access network to a terminal in a boundary area.
(b) Description of the Related Art
Network specifications for supporting a plurality of radio access technologies (RATs) have been proposed.
According to the IEEE 802.16m, when receiving system information broadcast including a network boundary indication from a serving cell, a terminal that is located in a boundary area of the IEEE 802.16m network periodically scans neighboring cells of a different radio access network adjacent to the serving cell.
The terminal refers to the network boundary indication and scans the different radio access network, which however generates the following problems.
First, a multi-mode terminal with multiple RFs periodically activates the RF of the corresponding different radio access network so as to scan the different radio access networks when an inter-RATs handover procedure is not needed, thereby wasting power.
Second, in consideration of a multi-mode terminal with a combined RF, the combined RF that was operable by the 802.16m mode must be switched to the RF for the different radio access network in order to scan the different radio access network. During the switching interval, a data rate is reduced since the data cannot be received from the 802.16m serving cell.